02 December 2013

26 November 2013

One of the biggest and most impressive landmarks to
Tyneside’s industrial past could be saved from an uncertain future
thanks to joint funding.

The enormous wooden Dunston Staiths, that once played a crucial role
in the transport of millions of tons of Tyneside coal, could be brought
back into public use following the announcement of crucial support from
English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). English Heritage has offered Tyne and Wear Building Preservation
Trust, which owns Dunston Staiths, a grant of £176, 819 to carry out
investigative works and repairs to the first six bays of the structure
which test out techniques that can be used in the rest of the monument.
Dunston Staiths is a scheduled monument which is on English Heritage’s
Heritage at Risk Register. Work is likely to start on site early in
2014.

The Trust has also been awarded initial support* from the Heritage
Lottery Fund which includes a development grant of £48,200. This will
allow the Trust to develop project plans further that aims to bring the
first 38 bays of the 1, 709ft long staiths into public use and linking
them to the Keelmans Way and Saltmarsh Gardens. The Saltmarsh garden is
one of the few remaining areas of Saltmarsh in the Tyne area and as a
result is of significant conservation interest. The mudflats, which were
naturally created when the staiths closed and dredging ceased, provide
an undisturbed roosting area for a range of bird species including grey
heron, lapwing and redshank.

Secretary of Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust, Martin Hulse,
said: “Dunston Staiths is one of the great icons of the River Tyne and
is an incredible feat of engineering. We are keen to hear from people
who used to work on the structure to help bring the structure back to
life. Most of all I am looking forward to the day when we can open the
gates and let people back on the Staiths as the view from the top is
incredible.”

The 130 year old staiths is now reckoned to be the largest timber
structure in Britain, a title it also held when built by the North
Eastern Railway at a cost of £210,000. Constructed of pitch pine the
staiths shipped over 1.5 million tons of coal in its first year alone
and peaked at almost 4 million tons a year in 1939.

Downturn in coal trade meant that by 1973 coal shipments were down to
400,000 tons and in 1977 coal shipments ceased. The staiths were
officially closed in 1980 and a later attempt to reopen them failed. The
structure found a new role as one of the centre pieces of the Gateshead
Garden Festival in 1990 but its deteriorating condition and two major
fires has since left the structure closed and with an uncertain future.
Opportunities for public access have been limited to a small number of
organised visits.

Gateshead Council cabinet member for culture, Cllr Linda Green, said:
“Dunston Staiths are probably the biggest monument to the coal industry
that played such a massive part in centuries of Tyneside history. We’ve
been working hard with Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust for
some time now in order to secure a positive, long term future for the
structure.

“These announcements of support from bodies as respected as the
Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage is great news. There’s a lot
of hard work still to do and more funding to secure, but perhaps the day
when the public can once again appreciate Dunston Staiths up close is
not too distant.”
Carol Pyrah, English Heritage’s Planning & Conservation Director North East
said: “We have been supporting the Council and the Trust for some years
with specialist advice and our grant gives the Trust the chance to test
techniques for repair on the first 6 bays. Conservation of such a
unique monument is a complicated business and English Heritage’s
involvement will ensure the best conservation brains are working to find
out the right way to repair it.”

Ivor Crowther, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund North East, said: “We at
the Heritage Lottery Fund are delighted to be giving our initial
support to this project that aims to bring the historic Dunston Staiths
back to life and back into use for local people. It’s great to know that
plans include conserving not only the wooden structure but also helping
the surrounding natural environment to thrive. We are looking forward
to seeing these plans progress over the coming months.”

21 October 2013

Heritage Tour of Stephenson Works– Michael Taylor, The Robert Stephenson Trust.FREE, Saturday 26th October 2013– Meet at Sussex Street entrance to Stephenson Works at 12pmIn 1823 George Stephenson along with four other people - his son Robert, theQuaker businessman Edward Pease, Pease’s cousin Thomas Richardson andMichael Longridge who managed Bedlington Iron Works - opened the world’sfirst purpose built locomotive factory at South Street on Forth Banks, Newcastleupon Tyne. Locomotives built at these works were exported to developing railwaysall over the world and were often the first locomotives to be seen and used inthose countries. At Robert’s death in 1859 the firm was the largest employer onTyneside and by the early 1890s the works had expanded to occupy all availableland on Forth Banks. The old works finally closed in 1904 and the site was takenover by automotive manufacturers George and Jobling who remained active in thebuilding until the early 1970s, producing bicycles, automobiles and airplanes. Aftera period of dereliction the site was restored in the last years of the 20th century.Following this restoration, when the Robert Stephenson Trust used the building as itsoffice, volunteers (including Michael Taylor) presented public tours illustrating thebuilding’s history.Michael Taylor is a Trustee, Exhibitions Curator, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster of the RobertStephenson Trust. He is a Chartered Civil Engineer, Past Chairman of the North Eastern branch andFellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and is North East Representative forthe Panel for Historical Engineering Works, Chairman North East Heritage Panel, and Chairman ICE NESenior’s Group. Michael was chairman of the Millennium Ponteland Pele Tower Restoration Group, ViceChairman, Magazine Editor and webmaster of Ponteland Local History Society. A lifelong member ofthe Scout Association he was awarded a MBE for services to young people in 2006.This event is made possible by the kind support of the Robert Stephenson Trust.

16 October 2013

ANLHS regularly receives queries from historians around the country, but a recent one was particularly unusual:

'I live in the South of England and have come across 2 photos of 9 French Onion men plus an English gentleman named Sgt. Baker (not in uniform) photographed in Northumberland – year unknown. My question to your members is, ‘is there any known history regarding French onion men in the Northumberland area?’ My reason for writing, the 2 photos I have in my possession could be displayed in the Roscoff, French Onion Museum, France which has recently opened.'

If you knew Sergeant Baker, can recognise anyone in these pictures, or have any recollections of French Onion men working in Northumberland, please let us know,via email,localhistory@virginmedia.com

or letter to 11 Beverley Terrace, North Shields.

We will pass the information on, and who knows, your story may finish up in a museum in France!

ANLHS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2013

1.15 Saturday 9TH November

Stannington Village Hall, Northumberland

ALL WELCOME

MEDIEVAL NEWCASTLE

The development of Newcastle’s medieval port facilities will be the focus for Dr Tony Barrow, our guest speaker at this year’s Annual General Meeting. Tony is an authority on North East maritime history and will be known to many Local History Societies. Come and hear this talk and be amazed by what is now partly under the quayside’s Tesco Express!

This talk will be a fascinating introduction to the ANLH Spring Study Day (see below

SPRING STUDY DAY?

Regrettably, due to unforeseen circumstances, the Study Day on things Roman has had to be postponed. We are now looking at alternative topics and at the time of writing the likely subject is to be Newcastle Quayside. It is hoped the day will include a number of speakers and visits to some of the buildings which have a crucial role in the history of the quayside.

If such an event proves possible, full details will be included in the January 2014 mailing.

DR CONSTANCE FRASER MEMORIAL LECTURE

One way in which we hope to remember Dr Fraser’s enormous contribution to local history is to establish an annual memorial lecture. And we are delighted that the inaugural lecture will given by Dr Max Adams of Newcastle University. One of Dr Adams’ main interests is Early Medieval Northumbria, which was also a key focus of Constance’s research. His talk will relate tohis recently published book about Oswals of Northumbria.

The lecture will be held on Saturday 20 September 2014 at The Mining Institute, Newcastle. Full details will be given in the next maili

CIRCA
Projects invited Joanne Tatham & Tom O’Sullivan to work with them
on the final instalment of their Space Release programme at Newcastle
upon Tyne’s Stephenson Works. The exhibition responds to the Stephenson
Works and the surrounding area, a site currently undergoing major
redevelopment by Newcastle based property developers Silverlink
Holdings. DOES THE IT FIT is an interrogative response to this situation
that, amongst other things, considers the complex and nuanced
relationships between re-generation and art.

The Stephenson Works is an historically significant
building currently being used by a range of different organisations. A
number of design companies have offices there and the space also
provides a venue for cultural and food events. CIRCA Projects programme
of exhibitions itself fits within a wider cultural agenda promoted by
Silverlink Holdings.

DOES THE IT FIT positions a new work by Joanne Tatham
& Tom O’Sullivan alongside a curated programme of works and talks.
This schedule of exhibitions and events has been devised by Tatham &
O’Sullivan, working with CIRCA Projects, as a response to both the
context of the site and the commission.

In common with many of Joanne Tatham & Tom
O’Sullivan’s works, their new commission comprises of a number of
choreographed elements and uses a range of forms and approaches. Two
constructed structures, sited on the factory floor and the mezzanine
echo the recent and original architecture of the site and engage with
the buildings current use and status. A second presentation comprises of
a series of photo-works of composed subjective encounters with civic
space within Newcastle. Finally, a printed text re-positions information
relating to places, people and organisations connected both directly
and indirectly to DOES THE IT FIT at the Stephenson Works. These
seemingly disparate facts build a narrative that becomes increasingly
coherent as a more complex picture emerges around the relationships
between art and public space.

DOES THE IT FIT will be accompanied by a series of talks
and screenings from Nadia Hebson, Fiona Jardine, Lothar Götz and Chris
Evans. Each of these will follow through a theme or idea relating to the
space and the commissioned work, from mural painting to corporate
identity. Alongside this programme will be a cumulative exhibition of
work by David Dye, Alex Dordoy, Alexander Harmon and Alan Michael. This
series of presented works encourage a viewer to consider modes of
art-making quite different to the demands of public engagement and the
redevelopment of urban space.

Close by to the Stephenson Works and just visible through
the windows of the factory floor is a high rectangular water tower.
Given the vicinity of this structure, John Smith’s The Black Tower functions as a wilful curatorial device, drawing attention to the site and the choreography of the project.DOES THE IT FIT ProgrammeThursday 17 October, 6pm: Preview - DOES THE IT FIT Joanne Tatham & Tom O'Sullivan
Thursday 24 October, 6pm. Factory Floor: John Smith, TheBlack Tower
Thursday 07 November, 6pm. Mezzanine Space: David Dye,
Pod Event: Fiona Jardine
Thursday 14 November, 6pm. Mezzanine Space: Alexander Harmon, Pod Event: Nadia HebsonThursday 21 November, 6pm. Mezzanine Space: Alan Michael,Pod Event: Lothar GötzThursday 28 November, 6pm. Mezzanine Space: Alex Dordoy, Pod Event: Chris Evans

Heritage Tours lasting around one hour will take place at 12 noon on: Saturday 26 October by Michael Taylor, Robert Stephenson Trust Saturday 07 December by Ian Ayris, Urban Design and Conservation Team at Newcastle City Council.

27 September 2013

Thisevening
we arebreaking
with tradition and the presentation will take the form of a film
about local waggonways. This will be introduced by Noel Adamson,
from Sunniside, who studied video and film production upon retirement
from Northern Electric.

ANLHS
NEWS

Saturday
9th
November

ANLHS
– AGM

Stannington
Village Hall

Further
details will hopefully be made available at the October meeting.

OUTINGS
2013

The
first outing of our calendar earlier this year took place on the
afternoon of 23rd.
May when 22 members visited Featherstone Castle on the banks of the
South Tyne near Haltwhistle. Our host was Mr. John Clarke who guided
us around this intriguing collection of buildings which make up his
Grade 1 listed home and residential activity centre for children and
students.

On
6th
June 35 of us travelled further west to Naworth for a morning tour of
the Castle, ancestral home of the Howards. Owing to a sudden
deterioration in Mrs Howard’s health that morning this was
substituted at the last minute for an alternative but very
interesting guided tour of the adjoining gardens and grounds. We
have been invited back next year to complete our tour of the Castle.

This
was followed by lunch at Lanercost after which we were free to visit
the Priory at our leisure.

On
11th
July 45 members and guests set out for the journey south to Durham.
At 11.00am we assembled at the Cathedral for a most interesting and
informative guided tour before taking a buffet lunch in the Prior’s
Hall. After lunch we made best use of the fine weather to enjoy the
environs of Palace Green or take a stroll along the banks of the
river Wear.

At
3.00pm we started our tour of the display of the Lindisfarne Gospels
which formed the centre piece of a unique exhibition in the Durham
University Palace Green Library.

This
concluded a very successful series of outings for the year.

DIARY
DATES

Saturday
26th
October

Pont
Charity Group Concert at 7.00pm in the Memorial Hall in support of
Children North East.

“The
Grainger Singers”

Tickets
£8 available from Mackley & Stevens or Newcastle Building
Society.

Puffing
Billy Festival Events

In
celebration of the first successful steam railway, which carried coal
from Wylam to Lemington 200 years ago, the friends of Puffing Bully
have presented a programme of events during 2013. These are ongoing
throughout the region until 3rd
November and more detailed information of the programme is available
via puffingbilly@beamish.org.uk

Saturday
9th
November

Archive
Films in St. Mary’s Church Hall 3pm & 7.30pm ”Railways at
War”

Please
note that the Christmas Social Evening will be held on Thursday 12th
December
and not
13th
December as printed on the programme. Tickets priced at £8 will be
available at the October and November meetings.

10 June 2013

19 May 2013

PONTELAND will play its part in a project to build upon the interest
generated by the north east visit of one of England’s most sacred
manuscripts this summer.

Created by Inspired North East, Spirit in Stone – the Lindisfarne Legacy will be based around eight groups of historic churches in the region, including St Mary’s in Ponteland.
This church will be involved by making the Lindisfarne Gospels the theme of its summer festival between July 25 and 28.

It
includes an art exhibition in the Church Hall on Thornhill Road,
featuring pull-up display banners, and a history exhibition that will
also look at the development of Christianity in the county.
The
Gospels will also be the theme for the flowers displayed in the church
and a facsimile of the illuminated text will be available to view.

Reverend
Peter Barham, Vicar of Ponteland, said: “It will be enjoyable to see
the Lindisfarne Gospels in Durham, but it’s good that we’re doing much
more across the region and here in Ponteland this summer to celebrate
our Christian heritage.

“We want to make sure that the Gospels don’t go back to London in October without having a tangible effect.
“Hopefully,
people from across the Ponteland parish and beyond will come and enjoy
the events and attractions at our summer festival.”

More than 40
churches will be involved with the project in some capacity and
activities will include interactive art and performance-based events for
children
and for older people, lively heritage and story-telling workshops,
training for ‘welcomers’ and heritage guides, development of several
local heritage trails, exhibition materials, practical advice and
resources and information for visitors.
Most of the £43,700 cost has been met by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Andrew
Duff, Inspired North East Development Officer, said: “We are thrilled
to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund because Spirit
in Stone will help many people – children as well as older people – to
take a fresh look at this region’s remarkable Christian cultural
heritage and become more actively involved in enjoying their own local
pages of this big region-wide story.
“It’s a story that can be
traced back to the influence of the Lindisfarne Gospels, early saints,
heroes, artists and others down the centuries, and it continues to
unfold today.”

10 May 2013

A recently restored historical document was presented to a regional
charity by the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
during his annual trip to the North East.

The
Thomas Telford Atlas, held in the North of England Institute of
Mining and Mechanical Engineers’ library, was discovered by the
Seniors Group of the ICE as being in need of repair. Wishing to
preserve this important work, ICE commissioned the rebinding of the
book which was then presented back to the Mining Institute by ICE
President, Professor Barry Clarke, during his visit to the region.

Thomas
Telford was the first President of the Institution of Civil Engineers
(1820-1834), and the atlas provides an 83-page, copper-plated
illustrative account of the engineering giant’s work. Professor
Clarke marked his visit by presenting the book to President of the
Mining Institute, Dr Frederick Wardle Smith at its regional
headquarters at Neville Hall in Newcastle.

Professor
Clarke said: “It is a great honour to have been able to present
such a significant document of engineering history to the Mining
Institute. Thomas Telford dominated British engineering and as the
first President of our Institution, was a pioneer.

“What
is more, the Mining Institute plays an important role in the
preservation of historical engineering achievements, representing the
heart of engineering within the North East.”

The
restorative re-binding of the atlas was also dedicated to the memory
of John W. Hall, one of the founder members of the Seniors Group of
ICE North East.

The
restoration was the idea of Ponteland Resident, John Gillespie, ex CEO
of Port of Tyne and also an owner of a further edition of the Atlas.

20 April 2013

This
book is much, much, more than the story of the Pit Sinkers of the
North East indeed it covers a vast range of associated topics from
across the UK and beyond.

The
first chapter is the history of shaft sinking, linking the
development of engineering from primitive beginnings, and then the
book goes on to explore methods, equipment and contracts. There is an
extensive chapter on colliery disasters and the human story is
vividly told in two chapters who’s titles includes the words,
amongst others: slavery, serfdom and mining engineers. I was
particularly moved by the author’s description of how his father,
shortly after starting work at the age of twelve in 1912, was carried
to work on the back of his elder brother. Once underground in the hot
pit, his limbs warmed up and he was able to work, but on his journey
home above ground he was again carried.

The
book has many similar human stories but also records the involvement
of the major engineers, colliery owners, writers, land owners and is
packed with facts.

The
Pit Sinkers of Northumberland and Durham is not only a tribute to
the men who worked under extreme conditions, but also tells the
evocative story of mining society as a whole and gives a unique
glimpse into the lives of those most affected by the industry. With
further chapters on transportation and accommodation, celebrations &
holidays and miner’s habits, the book must be regarded as a major
guide to the region’s and nation’s historically important
industry.

Peter
Ford Mason is descended from three generations of North East miners:
his great-grandfather was a master pit sinker who died sinking a
shaft in 1885. His work is meticulously researched and nothing seems
to be left out.

There are 60 black and white photographs, many
previously unpublished. The Pit Sinkers of Northumberland and Durham
by Peter Ford Mason is published by the History Press and is priced
£12.99.

20 February 2013

We welcome as our speaker this
evening, David Jones, Hon. Secretary to the Coquetdale Community Archaeology
Group, which represents the interests of residents of Coquetdale and
neighbouring communities “....involved in exploring and investigating the hidden
history of their homes, villages and local landscape”

ANLHS NEWS

Saturday
2nd March

Members Meeting

St. Nicholas’ Church Hall, South
Gosforth

Agenda

1.15 Coffee & Biscuits

1.40 Guest Speaker

Dr. Liz O’Donnel

“Hens that
want to Crow-Suffragists & Suffragettes of the North East of England
1865-1914” – Commemorates the centenary of Emily Davison’s action at “The
Derby”.

2.30
Member’s Business

Saturday 11th May

Study Day
hosted by Norham & Ladykirk LHS

“Flodden
500”

Further
detail & application form available this evening.

Saturday 7th September

Round the
County Day hosted by Mitford Historical Society.

Saturday 9th November

ANLHS – AGM

Stannington
Village Hall

Further
details of the two latter events will be made available at a later meeting.

From 1st July to 30th
September the Lindisfarne Gospels and the St. Cuthbert Gospel, on loan from
the British Library, will be the centre piece at a unique exhibition in the
Durham University Palace Green Library.Also
on display will be artefacts from national collections including those of
Durham Cathedral and Durham University.

We have
secured a limited number of group tickets for the 3.00pm tour on Thursday 11th.
July and these are on sale from this evening at £6.50 each. Initially as the numbers are limited it will
be necessary to restrict tickets to 2 per couple and 2 per single member.The tickets are non-refundable and therefore available
only on a pre-paid basis.Temporary
tickets will be issued, by the Treasurer, in the first instance.

The whole
of the World Heritage site surrounding Palace Green will be closed off to
traffic and therefore the decision has been taken to travel independently to
Durham and make use of the excellent “Park & Ride” facilities which link
with the Cathedral Hopper Bus.Full
detail will be provided for both in due course to those members going on the
visit.

Subject to
interest shown it is also proposed to combine this visit with an optional 75
minute guided tour of the Cathedral, starting at 11.00am.This could be followed by an optional reserved
lunch, hopefully served in the Prior’s Hall of the Cathedral.The cost for the guided tour is £5 and the
combined tour and lunch £12, payable only when arrangements are finalised.

Forms are
available to express your interest in the options available.

Emily Wilding Davison went to the
Epsom Derby in 1913 and her action there, vividly recorded by the newsreel
cameras, is probably the most widely remembered event in the campaign for
women’s suffrage.

To mark the centenary of Ms
Davison’s death from her injuries that day, Dr Liz O’Donnell will give a talk, ‘Hens that
want to Crow – Suffragists and Suffragettes of the North East of England
1865-1914’, at our Members
meeting on 2 March (details below).

Emily Wilding
Davison

Liz’s doctoral thesis explored the relationship
between first-wave feminism and Quaker women and she is well versed in the
fight for women’s suffrage. She is currently an outreach officer for the
Northumberland Collections Service and Oral History Co-ordinator for the highly
successful Mapping Popular Politics Project lead by the North East Labour
History Society.

All Individual Members and members of affiliated Local History Societies
are welcome to attend the Members meeting. Full details are available on the
ANLHS website ( www.anlhs.org.uk ).

ANLHS
MEMBERS’ MEETING 2013

1.15
Saturday 2nd March

St
Nicholas Church Hall, South Gosforth

ALL WELCOME

THE SOCIETY OF
ANTIQUARIES OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

This year marks the bicentenary of the Newcastle Antiquaries, the oldest
provincial antiquarian society in the country. A plaque is to be placed on the
corner of Grainger
Street and the Bigg
Market to mark the site of its first meeting.

From an initial 68, the Antiquaries’ membership now spread across the
world and its highly regarded journal, Archaeologia
Aeliana is available in libraries across Europe, America and Australia. Series 1 and 2 (1822-1904) are now available on the internet.

For two centuries the Society has encouraged a greater understanding of
the history and archaeology of the north-east. Many leading figures in the
history of British archaeology were members and recent Presidents have included
Prof. Norman McCord, Grace McCombie and Dr Constance Fraser, current President
of ANLHS.

To celebrate the Society’s amazing achievement numerous events, open to
all, are planned throughout the year and details are available on the Society’s
web site at www.newcastle-antiquaries.org.uk
.

FLODDEN 500

Numerous
events are planned over the coming year to mark the 500th anniversary
of the Battle of Flodden. On behalf of ANLHS, Norham and Ladykirk LHS are to
host a Study Day on Saturday 11th May.

The day
aims to provide an insight into the events leading up to and following the
battle, a tour of NorhamVillage and Castle, and an opportunity for a guided tour of the battle field
with Clive Hallam-Baker.

MITFORD - ROUND THE COUNTYDAY

Mitford Historical Society will be our hosts this
year. Although a small village, Mitford has a fascinating story to tell and you
will have the opportunity to visit St Mary Magdalene Church or the Castle, the
Old Manor House and Mitford Hall. An optional homemade hot lunch will also be
available.

The
event will be held on Saturday 7th September and hopefully the
weather will be kind. Those attending will be sent full details in August.

Further details and
booking forms for the Flodden 500 and Mitford Round the County Day are
available from your LHS, the ANLHS website or the Secretary (Tel. 0191 290
2366 orE-mail localhistory@virginmedia.com
). Numbers are limited for both events so don’t delay.

COLLINGWOOD SOCIETY

The Collingwood Society, dedicated to all
things related to the Admiral, is now up and running following a very
successful inaugural Annual General Meeting in November.

A full programme
has been prepared including various talks, a day of commemorative events
throughout Morpeth Town Centre on Thursday 7 March and on 21st
October the annual ‘Toast the Admiral’ event hosted by North Tyneside Council.

More information, pending
completion of a new website, can be found on the old festival website at www.collingwood2010.co.uk .